BULLS head coach John Kear insists getting the side promoted to Super League via the play-offs this season would be his greatest ever achievement.

It is a big claim, given the 66-year-old led Sheffield (in 1998) and Hull (in 2005) to two of the most famous Challenge Cup Final wins in recent history, over mighty Wigan and Leeds sides respectively.

But Kear explained: “Getting Bradford into Super League would be my greatest achievement, even more so than those two Challenge Cup Final victories.

“Just because this club has been all the way down to the lowest tier, so if we were to get back up to the highest level, that would rank as my number one.

“I think getting Bulls all the way from the bottom to the top is just that bit more special than a single specific Challenge Cup campaign.”

But Bulls have a heck of a long way to go before that, with an elimination play-off at Batley this afternoon likely to be followed by clashes against the Championship’s big two, Toulouse and Featherstone, if they do make it all the way to the Grand Final.

Kear said Bulls could take inspiration from Batley themselves after his side’s woeful home loss to Whitehaven last weekend.

He explained: “Batley had lost their previous couple (against Whitehaven and Dewsbury), games which they were favourites to win.

“But they went to Halifax last weekend as underdogs and won, thanks to their brilliant work ethic and commitment.

“Halifax actually played well, but Batley were resilient and relentless.

“We can learn a lesson from them, as they’re a team that never throws in the towel.”

Discussing individuals in the Batley camp, Kear said: “They’ve got some quality in there.

“Both hookers, Ben Kaye and Alistair Leak, are superb and James Brown, who was there when I coached at Batley, is a fine middle unit.

“Dane Manning is a really good player on the edges, and their half-backs, Ben White and Tom Gilmore, are great partners.

“Luke Hooley has become a top full-back too, one of the best in the division.

“But I’d still say their biggest threat is that they play as one, so our work ethic has to be better than theirs this weekend if we’re going to win.”

But could the infamous slope at Mount Pleasant be a factor against Batley?

Kear laughed: “Well I coached there for five years, so if I didn’t know how to play on it, I’d have to ask myself what I’d been doing.

“I’m fully aware of the impact it can have on games, as it is prominent.

“If you stand in the in-goal area at one end, and draw a horizontal line, you’d reach the crossbar at the other end.

“It will likely play a significant outcome in the game this weekend, but with all the time I spent as head coach there, my Bulls team is probably as well prepared to cope with it as anyone.”